Kyrie Irving, the man behind the athlete

(From my article in French on Seneweb, Senegal).

A man, an athlete, a celebrity

A controversial player but, before anything else, a man, a husband, a dad. Dallas Mavericks ‘guard Kyrie Irving is in an uncomfortable situation. But, maybe, this difficult spot fuels him and allows him to become better, on and off the court. 

Kyrie’s gesture to the fans at TD Garden

Having avoided the humiliation of a sweep in the 2024 NBA finals against the Boston Celtics with a blowout win in Dallas, which brought the series to 3-1 for the Celtics, Kyrie is going back to Boston for game 5. Visibly bothered by a bad game 2 loss or by his own performance, Irving walked off the court and flashed all five fingers to the hostile fans in the arena, meaning he’d be back for another game. Few people believed that would be the case. Most analysts were expecting a sweep and proclaiming the Celtic’s superiority as a team.

Nevertheless, Kyrie kept his word and is going back to the hyper hostile environment of TD Garden, aiming at extending the series. 

Issues with Celtics fans

Kyrie used to play for the Celtics, but his tenure with the green and white jersey didn’t end up well. When he came back to TD Garden while playing for the Brooklyn Nets in 2021, the fans kept booing him every time he touched the ball. Subsequently, Kyrie disrespected the Celtics’ logo wiping his shoes on it. Since that day, every time Irving sets foot in Boston’s NBA arena, the chants against him, the insults and the boos get louder and louder. The first two games of this year’s NBA finals were no different and only amplified this situation: The « Kyrie sucks » and worse offenses echoed through TD Garden from the moment of Irving’s introduction on the court to when he went back to the locker rooms. Every ball possession by the Australia-born increased the loudness of the chants and boos. 

Irving is put in a very uncomfortable spot every time he plays against the Celtics and his long loosing streak against Boston only came to an end on game 4, when Mavericks had a monster performance and the Celtics waved the white flag already in the third quarter. 

Emotional leadership

 Kyrie’s emotional leadership was definitely a factor. Irving is going through a long path of self-development and inner work, which made him a much more mature human being and allowed him to put things into perspective. 

Life’s teachings

Irving said basketball has been a great life teacher, but life has been a better one.

I asked him what he has learned in the past few years that is allowing him to have the right mindset facing challenges and difficult situations. His answer brought tears to my eyes.

Kyrie gave proof of being, first and foremost, a great human being.

The 32-year-old All Star said life is an incredible gift that nobody can take for granted. He spoke about losing some dear ones as a reminder of how precious life is.

In his path to self-improvement and growth, Irving is trying find his purpose and deal with the labels society puts on him, be it being a celebrity, an entertainer, a famous person or a basketball star. So far, he learned how to avoid putting too much pressure on himself.

“I’m still a young person in this world trying to figure it out. I’m not supposed to have it all figured out,” he said. “I think that’s the beauty too,” he added.

Dealing with human emotions

Kyrie is learning how to cherish and appreciate the gifts he has had to earn, the moments with his loved ones, even the difficulties life puts him through. 

The world is your canvas

“I am learning how to deal with real human emotions and not gloss over them and pretend  life is all good,” he explained, stressing the importance of being real and sincere. “If you can be honest with yourself, the world is your canvas.”

Robin & Batman

Irving is considered as the Robin to Slovenian super star Batman Luka Doncic. His leadership is definitely stronger in the team, especially because Luka is playing in his first finals, while Kyrie has already been in this situation before: He became NBA champion with the Cleveland Cavaliers alongside basketball legend LeBron James after a historic comeback from a 1-3 deficit. 

Down 3-1 again

No team has ever won a title after being down 0-3 in the NBA finals. Will Kyrie be able to perform, ignore all criticism or use it as fuel, and play at his best in the adverse and inimical environment of TD Garden? 

Al odds are for the Celtics to lift their record-breaking 18^th trophy in game 5. If there’s someone who can try to make history – once again – is Kyrie Irving. After all, what does he have to lose now?